Sprout Social vs Later
Side-by-side from the Top 11 ranking of The 11 Best Social Media Scheduling Tools. Last verified June 5, 2026.
The short answer
Sprout Social ranks higher on Top 11 (#2 vs #4) for Small business owners and social media managers choosing scheduling tools (Buffer vs Hootsuite vs Later). The best for its enterprise-grade analytics, reporting, and team collaboration features.
At a glance
| Sprout Social | Later | |
|---|---|---|
| Top 11 rank | #2 / The 11 Best Social Media Scheduling Tools | #4 / The 11 Best Social Media Scheduling Tools |
| Score (out of 9.4) | 9 | 8.5 |
| Best for | Powerful analytics and reporting | Visual-first scheduling |
| Pricing | $$$$ ($249 to $499+/mo) | $$ ($25 to $80/mo) |
| HQ | Chicago, USA | Vancouver, Canada |
| Founded | 2010 | 2014 |
Sprout Social
The best for its enterprise-grade analytics, reporting, and team collaboration features.
sproutsocial.comLater
The top choice for visual planning, especially for Instagram, with a drag-and-drop grid preview.
later.comMethodology and scoring weights live at /methodology. No vendor pays for placement — see about.